7 Best Shopify Referral Apps to Grow Your Store in 2025

Raúl Galera

April 9, 2025

7 Best Shopify Referral Apps to Grow Your Store in 2025

If you're searching for the best Shopify referral apps, you're not alone. Referral marketing remains one of the most powerful growth tools for eCommerce brands, especially as customer acquisition costs continue to rise.

The right referral app can help you acquire new customers sustainably, drive higher customer lifetime value, and turn your best customers into your most effective marketing channel.

Here are the 7 best Shopify referral apps in 2025 updated with the latest reviews, pricing, and features to help you make the right choice.

1. ReferralCandy: Best All-in-One Shopify Referral App

Rating: ★ 4.9 (2,100+ reviews)
Pricing: Starts at $59/month with a 14-day free trial

Why it’s #1 for Shopify referral apps:
ReferralCandy offers everything you need to launch and scale both referral and affiliate programs without needing a developer. From flexible reward options to customizable branding, it’s trusted by top Shopify brands like SecretLab, Stanley and Misfits.

Key Features:

  • Cash, coupon, store credit and custom rewards
  • Embedded forms, post-purchase popups & widgets
  • Custom signup form + affiliate dashboard (Affiliate Plus)
  • A/B testing, fraud detection, and smart analytics
  • Integrates with Shopify, Klaviyo, and all Shopify subscription apps
  • 24/7 live chat support

Why Shopify brands love it:
It’s easy to set up, highly customizable, and delivers real ROI. Perfect for brands that want performance-based growth with minimal overhead.

👉 Try ReferralCandy free for 14 days

2. Smile.io: For merchants looking for Loyalty Features

Rating: ★ 4.8 (5000+ reviews)
Pricing: Free plan available; referrals on $49/month+ plans

Overview:
Smile.io combines referrals with loyalty points and VIP tiers. It’s one of the most popular apps in the Shopify ecosystem for merchants looking to increase repeat purchases and customer engagement.

Features:

  • Points and referral rewards
  • VIP tier support
  • Email and POS integrations (Shopify, Klaviyo)
  • Custom branding for widgets

Great for:
Brands looking to build loyalty while encouraging referrals.

3. Social Snowball: For merchants working with Influencers

Rating: ★ 4.8 (200+ reviews)
Pricing: Starts at $99/month

Overview:
Social Snowball auto-activates customers as affiliates immediately after purchase making it ideal for Shopify brands focused on viral growth and influencer marketing.

Features:

  • One-click affiliate activation
  • Trackable codes and links
  • Instant payouts via PayPal or gift card
  • Real-time tracking + Klaviyo integration

Great for:
DTC brands growing fast through social media or UGC.

4. Growave: For merchants looking to add Reviews & Wishlist Add-Ons

Rating: ★ 4.8 (1800+ reviews)
Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $29/month

Overview:
Growave offers a solid all-in-one marketing suite with referral programs, loyalty, reviews, and wishlists, all in a single Shopify app.

Features:

  • Simple referral program with store credit rewards
  • Loyalty points + VIP programs
  • Product reviews & social proof
  • Email marketing automation

Great for:
Small to mid-sized stores looking for multiple tools in one app.

5. Refersion: For merchants looking for Affiliate Management

Rating: ★ 4.7 (1000+ reviews)
Pricing: Starts at $99/month with a 14-day free trial

Overview:
Refersion is built specifically for managing affiliate and influencer programs on Shopify. It allows you to track referrals, manage commissions, and create a branded experience for your partners, all from one dashboard.

Features:

  • Affiliate and influencer tracking
  • Custom commission structures
  • Affiliate portal and application forms
  • Shopify and Shopify Plus integrations
  • Multi-channel tracking (social, email, blog links)
  • Integrates with PayPal, Klaviyo, Recharge, and more

Great for:
Shopify brands with a focus on influencer partnerships, content creators, and affiliate sales.

6. UpPromote: Affiliate & Referral – Good starting point for affiliate and referrals

Rating: ★ 4.9 (4200+ reviews)
Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $29.99/month

Overview:
UpPromote offers affiliate and referral solutions for Shopify brands looking to streamline and scale their performance marketing with features covering everything from partner onboarding to fraud prevention.

Features:

  • A/B testing and campaign segmentation
  • Branded affiliate portals and customizable signup forms
  • Advanced analytics and fraud detection
  • Affiliate marketplace and automated payouts

Great for:
Shopify stores of all sizes especially fast-growing DTC brands looking for an easy-to-use, all-in-one platform for referrals and affiliates.

7. BixGrow: Affordable Affiliate & Referral Marketing

Rating: ★ 5.0 (1,400+ reviews)
Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $7.99/month

Overview:
BixGrow is a highly rated Shopify app that helps merchants run affiliate and referral programs with ease. It's simple to set up, offers flexible commission options, and includes a clean affiliate portal for partners to track performance.

Features:

  • A/B testing and campaign segmentation
  • Branded affiliate signup forms and portals
  • Advanced analytics and fraud prevention
  • Automated payouts and flexible commission rules

Great for:
Shopify merchants who want an affordable, scalable solution for managing affiliate and referral campaigns without the complexity.

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Shopify Referral App

Whether you're just starting out or already scaling, the right Shopify referral app can fuel long-term growth while keeping your acquisition costs low.

Here’s a quick recap:

  • ReferralCandy: Best all-in-one app for referrals + affiliates
  • Smile.io: Best for loyalty + referrals combo
  • Social Snowball: Best for influencer-driven brands
  • Growave: Best all-in-one suite for small shops
  • Refersion: Best for affiliate management
  • UpPromote: Good starting point for affiliate and referrals
  • BixGrow: Best if looking for affordability and low complexity

Still unsure? Start with a free trial most of these apps (especially ReferralCandy) make it easy to test without commitment.

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Raúl Galera

April 9, 2025

Raúl Galera is the Growth Lead at ReferralCandy, where they’ve helped 30,000+ eCommerce brands drive sales through referrals and word-of-mouth marketing. Over the past 8+ years, Raúl has worked hands-on with DTC merchants of all sizes (from scrappy Shopify startups to household names) helping them turn happy customers into revenue-driving advocates. Raúl’s been featured on dozens of top eCommerce podcasts, contributed to leading industry publications, and regularly speaks about customer acquisition, retention, and brand growth at industry events.

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